PAPER!

Nothing makes me as happy as a big box of paper scraps to make my handmade paper. I use a lot of high-quality junk mail to make all of my papers. But since I do not use bleaches or dyes to color my paper, the only way that I can make all the delicious colors is to combine various paper scraps — some yellow scraps and a pinch of brown makes a beautiful mustard color. Cobalt blue with a little bit of black makes a nice navy blue. And I love combining pinks, oranges and creams for a beautiful peach. I met a lovely woman named Cindy who owns a card stock company. She saves the trimmings and cast-offs from cutting down large pieces of card stock into cards for her paper orders. Then she sends them my way so I can make them into gorgeous handmade papers. Don’t get me wrong - I don’t want your scrap paper! I have had many friends and acquaintances offer me their discarded paper. There is so much paper that goes through my life — even as I get off all those mailing lists and do more bill paying online — that I don’t need one more scrap of it from anyone, even the most well-intentioned! One of my friend’s friends heard about my papermaking business and decided I was the perfect avenue for her wonderfully obsessive recycling. She gave my friend, who then gave me, a huge garbage bag full of toilet paper wrappers. This is the super thin paper that comes around a new roll of toilet paper. It practically dissolves into nothingness when you look at it. She must have saved those wrappers for more than a year to accumulate the amount she gave me. I appreciate the gesture but I really have enough paper between my own mailbox and household recycling. But I digress. I received a lovely huge box of paper from Cindy this week. It is heavy card stock, saturated with color - perfect for my plantable paper products. (Say that 10 times fast!) It’s always a nice surprise when I open up a box from Cindy and see what is inside, and how the colors will inspire to create something. Some women love getting new shoes. For me, it’s paper scraps!

My new studio!

After months of slow renovations with lots of delays, I am just days away from moving into my new studio. It is a small, cozy space — just 150 square feet, give or take — but it is a lovely little nest, perched up on the second floor among tree branches, with tons of sunlight flooding the room and a great view of the comings and goings of a sweet, active neighborhood in a college town. The smell of fresh paint is in the air, and as soon as the floors are coated with their last layer of tung oil, I can move in. I am most excited about this custom bookcase that my contractor built into an otherwise wasted space with too little depth for a piece of furniture but too much wall space to waste. The shelves extend down the hallway and over the door that is around the corner. And while I imagine them sparsely populated with clever books and interesting knick-knacks from foreign travels, they will most likely be crammed with bubble envelopes, mailing boxes, packing tape, business cards, ink cartridges, printer paper and all the stuff that goes into running my Etsy business. Either way, some serious organization is coming my way!

Valley Artisans Market

I just celebrated my 15th year as a member of an artisans cooperative in my area. I remember the excitement when I first heard about its existence and the pleasure I got visiting the shop to look around and gain inspiration from all the amazing artwork created by local artisans. I remember the courage it took to approach the woman behind the counter to ask for a jury application, and the greater courage it took to fill it out and hand it back in. And I remember the thrill that ran through my veins when I found out I was accepted. That one leap of faith took me from hobbyist hidden behind closed doors at home to artisan. Make that Artisan with a capital A. What surprised me most was how all the members were excited to have me and my work. They weren't laughing or pointing. They were inspired and excited. By becoming a member there, I embraced my new life as an artist and I have never looked back. There is a gallery in the back of the market that has monthly exhibits. It is on my bucket list to some day have my own shown in that gallery. I didn't do it for many years because I was intimidated by the size of the room and what I would have to make to have a cohesive show to fill it up. Now I am so busy with my full-time papermaking business that I can't imagine when I would have the time to put together a show. We just recently freshened up the store and I moved to a new display space. The work displayed is a mixture of many different media, from paper sculptures to my framed Petal People to plantable paper tags and cards. Just the thought of all my work tucked together there and pleasing our customers and browsers give me infinite satisfaction. Thank you, Valley Artisans Market, for accepting me into the fold and changing the course of my life!

New year, new poem!

I have been making my plantable paper for years now, and have always been very proud of the original poem I wrote to accompany my paper, explaining how to plant it:

In this paper, little seeds lay asleep, Waiting to be planted in soil 1/4 inch deep. Water well then keep moist for 4 to 6 weeks. Until little plants come out of the soil for a peek. Many flowers will share their colors to the max. Like purple cone flower, red poppy and blue flax! © PulpArt.Etsy.com

Recently, I added a new poem to one of my products. I started making plantable paper apples as a nifty and unusual gift idea to thank teachers for all they do for our children. I really felt deeply about honoring teachers so I pulled out my pencil and paper, reached deep and wrote this new poem:

Every day, you plant seeds of knowing, Though the harvest you may never see. But with hope, you continue sowing, To plant young minds with what could be. And tend to the flowers and the weeds, To find what is hidden in a seed. © PulpArt.Etsy.com

I am especially grateful to one particular math teacher and wrote it with her in mind. I hope you have special teachers in your life. The good ones make such a difference.

Seed Bombs

Ideas come and go but this plantable paper thing keeps sticking with me. My newest thing (OK, new means a year old but...) is "seed bombs."

They came about in a funny way. As a papermaker, I make large batches of handmade paper. A few years ago, I started adding seeds to the pulp to make sheets and tags of plantable paper. At the end of the batch of paper, I would always strain the pulp and then toss it. One day I am draining the pulp, squeezing the water out, and throwing the ball into the trash when I realized I was throwing away a great product: Seed Bombs. Simply, they are seed protected by a ball of dried paper, ready to be planted in the garden. Sometimes the simplest things are the best. If you would like to see an assortment of the ones I sell, check out my Etsy store: http://PulpArt.Etsy.com

Petal People

I don't know how to paint. I can't draw to save my life. But, for some reason, I find it very easy to compose the human figure made from pressed leaves, herbs and flowers. It doesn't quite make sense to me but I am having a blast doing it! I love the movement that came to this girl when I added her hair, made from pressed thyme stems from my flower box. I am interested in figures that have no facial features but convey emotion through their bodies. I think this one does just that.

Santa Claus

I have spent the last year taking my love of gardening and pressed flowers to a different place. I used to create cards with handmade paper and pressed botancials, called Garden Variety cards. But I got a little tired of the same old thing. I was trying to come up with a new idea when I came across a magazine that had the picture of a rooster made entirely of pressed leaves. It completely inspired me, but I love the human shape more, so I translated it into Petal People. This is my latest creation, a Santa Claus made entirely of pressed leaves and flowers (available in my Etsy shop at http://PulpArt.Etsy.com). I recently took him and printed him on cards for Christmas. Hope you find inspiration for your holiday artwork from my Santa.